A CARER from Redditch has been told he will never be allowed to work with old people again after he manhandled and slapped an 84-year-old woman.

Alexsander Machhnicki lost his temper with the confused resident at a care home where he worked and cuffed the back of her head as he was escorting her back to her room.

The 51-year-old, who had worked as a carer all his adult life, will be barred from working in any form of residential home after being found guilty of two counts of ill treatment at Exeter Crown Court.

He has been forced to move away from Devon and take a lowly paid job as a factory operative in Birmingham after being blacklisted by the Care Quality Commission.

He was working at the Primley Court home in Paignton when he pushed the 84-year-old dementia patient back into her chair by her head in one incident and slapped her in a second.

Machnicki, of Rossdale Close in Redditch, denied ill treatment or neglect but was found guilty of two out of three charges.

He was ordered to do 150 hours unpaid community work and pay £750 costs by Recorder Mr Paul Dunkels, QC.

He told him:"This was a momentary loss of patience towards a woman who clearly exhibited challenging behaviour. Patience is one of the qualities needed at all times by people undertaking this sort of work.

"That is why it is so serious to lose your patience and react aggressively. No doubt these offences were committed in moments of frustration.

"Her behaviour may have been challenging, but she is entitled to be treated with respect, patience and sensitivity by those responsible for her care.

"You will never work in any caring profession again."

During the trial the jury heard how Machnicki reacted badly on the two occasions.

In the first the patient tried to get up off her chair and he put his hand on the top of her head and pushed her down roughly.

On the second he was walking her back to her room and trying to operate a key pad on a door. She tried to stop him and he slapped her on the back of the head.

Mr Paul Dentith, defending, said: "This was not malicious abuse. He has no conviction and has worked in caring professions for 30 years.

"He worked with children in Poland for 20 years and has worked at homes in this country for the past 10 years. He is now working at a factory in Birmingham where he describes his job as pushing a button. He takes home £1,100 a month.

"He was not able to work as a carer from the moment he was dismissed. The Care Quality Commission wrote to him telling him he was banned from working."

Mr Dentith said Machnicki should not have been providing one-to-one care for the patient because her treatment notes recommended she should only be looked after by female staff.